Quick-release buckle and body harness arrangement

ABSTRACT

A vest type body harness capable of being cinched around the torso of a patient in a manner making it extremely difficult for a patient to slip out has strap portions which extend when the harness is in situ from each side of the patient. Two selfclamping quick release buckle arrangements are mounted on the frame member of the bed, wheel chair, etc., to which the patient is to be strapped for engaging the respective strap portions. A linkage arrangement is provided which extends between the two buckle arrangements for simultaneously releasing both buckles.

United States Patent 1 1 Forbes-Robinson et a1.

[5 QUKIK-RELEASE BUCKLE AND BODY HARNESS ARRANGEMENT 175] lnventors:Elliott Forheskobinson; Christina Ethel Forbes-Robinson, both ofGlendale, Calif.

[73] Assignee: Elliott Forbes-Robinson, Glendale,

Calif.

{22] Filed: Nov. 2, 1973 [2'11 Appl. No: 412,312

['52] US. Cl 128/134; 5/83 [51] Int. Cl. A6IG 7/06 ['58] Field of Search128/134, 133; 119/96;

5/83, 85, 320; 2/2 R; 24/73 PH, 81 A [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 1,051,560 1/1913 Cowles 5/320 3,063,447 11/1962 Kirsten 128/1343,100,484 8/1963 Berl 123/134 1 1 Aug. 5, 1975 3,136,311 6/1964 Lewis128/134 3.265.065 8/1966 .lillsun..... 128/134 3,407,807 111/1968Giberson 2/2 R Primary Examiner-Richard A. Gaudet AssistantI:'.mminer-Henry J. Recla Atmmey, Agent, or Firm-Huebner & Worrel [S7ABSTRACT A vest type body harness capable of being cinched around thetorso of a patient in a manner making it extremely difficult for apatient to slip out has strap portions which extend when the harness isin situ from each side of the patient. Two self-clamping quick releasebuckle arrangements are mounted on the frame member of the bed, wheelchair, etc., to which the patient is to be strapped for engaging therespective strap portions. A linkage arrangement is provided whichextends between the two buckle arrangements for simultaneously releasingboth buckles.

16 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures QUICK-RELEASE BUCKLE AND BODY HARNESSARRANGEMENT FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a devicefor strapping a patient to a hospital bed, wheel chair or the like andmore particularly, to a quick-release buckle and harness arrangement.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Heretofore, harnesses have been employed tohold patients securely in beds. Frequently, such are used onpost-operative patients to prevent the patient from falling or climbingout of bed and incurring injury. Such harnesses usually include sometype of strap arrangement which may be buckled to the persons torso withstraps running around the sides of the bed and joining each otherbeneath the bed so as to loop the mattress springs and frame of the bed.These harness arrange ments, since they cannot be released by thepatient being held, represent a safety hazard in the event that someemergency condition, such as a fire, earthquake, or other condition,demands speedy evacuation and removal of the patients from the hospitalrooms. A common disadvantage with the prior art harness arrangements isthat they could not be quickly released. Generally, it is necessary foran attendant to reach under the bed and manually unbuckle or untie thestraps before the patient can be removed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to animproved harness capable of being cinched around the torso of a patientin a manner such that it is extremely difficult for the patient toescape from the harness and to improved buckling devices for securingthe ends of the straps of the harness below a bed or behind a wheelchair or the like in a secure fashion while permitting quick release ofboth straps by an attendant. This is accomplished, in brief, byproviding in combination with an improved patient harness a harnessstrap locking apparatus for mounting on the frame of a hospital bed,wheel chair or the like. The strap locking apparatus comprises first andsecond strap clamping units. Each strap clamping unit includes a framemember and a strap clamping plate mounted on the frame member with alocking member rotatably supported above the clamping plate and having astrap engaging surface movable into and out of a strap clampingposition. Spring means urges the locking member to rotate into theclamping position for gripping the strap and holding it securely.Tension on the strap in a direction to withdraw the strap tightens theclamping action. Quick release means links both units for simultaneouslyrotating both locking members against the action of the spring means torelease the straps. A manually positioned control lever at each unitactuates the quick release means from either side of the bed, detentmeans holding the lever in either a strap clamping position or a strapreleasing position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a more complete understanding ofthe invention, reference should be made to the accompanying drawingswherein:

FIG. 1 is an end elevation view of a hospital bed illustrating a patientheld therein by a combination harnessclamping arrangement according tothe present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of one of the buckle units of theclamping arrangement of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the harness of FIG. 1 in situ on apatient.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the harness of FIG. 1 when opened along theseams in its shoulders and Iain flat.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating use of the harness-clampingarrangement combination of FIG. 1 to releasably strap a patient in awheel chair.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to thedrawings in detail, the numeral 10 indicates generally a conventionalhospital bed having a main frame including a pair of side rail angleirons l2 and 14. Box springs 16 and a mattress 18 rest on top of theframe. The patient lying on top of the mattress I8 is fitted in a bodyharness, indicated generally at 20, having strap portions 22 and 24which secure the harness on the patient and which extend around theedges of the bed where they are buckled to the side rails 12 and 14 byquick-release buckle units 26 and 28, respectively, mounted below theside rails 12 and 14.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the harness is in the form of a cloth garmentor vest. The garment 20 defines an opening 23 centrally in its top justlarge enough for receiving the patient's head and neck when the shoulderseams I9 are sewn shut as illustrated in FIG. 4. An armhole or opening25 is defined in one vertical side of the garment 21 just large enoughto receive an arm of the patient. The other vertical side of the garment20 is open. The back panel 7 of the garment has an extension 27 formedalong the open side of the garment 20 which narrows from a pointadjacent a wearers arm like a triangle to a point on the garments loweredge and wraps around the side of the patient opposite from the arm hole25 under the patients armpit. The front garment panel 9 also has agenerally similar but preferably shorter extension 29 formed along theopen side of the garment 20 which overlaps the extension 27 around thesame side of the patient when the garment 20 is in situ on the wearer asshown in FIG. 4. The strap ends 22 and 24 are preferably part of acontinuous strap sewn to the lower margin of the garment so as toencircle the patients waist. The strap end 24, where it leaves thegarment extension 27, passes through a preferably centrally locatedvertically extending slit 31 in the front panel 9 of the garment. Thegannent preferably is sewn with pleats 33 which make it form fitting.

In use, the harness 20 is fitted on the patient as shown in FIG. 4 andthe strap ends 22 and 24 are pulled in opposite directions. Thereby, theharness 20 is tightened around the patients waist and the harnessportion 27 is cinched under the patient's arm 8. Due to the tighteningat the waist and the cinching under the arm 8, it is extremely difficultfor a patient to slip from the harness 20 once these strap ends 22 and24 have been tightened and are held in place.

This harness arrangement provided by the garment 20 additionally has theinherent advantage that it may be used to replace the conventionalhospital gown worn by a patient since it covers the torso andparticularly the breast portion of the patient.

As shown in detail in FIGS. 2 and 3, each of the quick-release buckleunits 26 and 28 is made up of a box-like frame 30 having a top wall 32which is bolted to the bed frame by suitable bolts (not shown) extendingthrough slots 34. The box-like frame 30 includes side walls 36 and 38, abottom wall 40, and back wall 42. The back wall is positioned outwardlyalong the side of the bed when the unit is mounted in position on thebed frame and has an opening 43 through which one of the strap portions22 or 24 is inserted. The front side of the box-like frame 30 is open.

Mounted on the inside of the bottom wall 40 is a buckle assembly foradjustably securing a strap. The buckle assembly includes a U-shapedbracket 44 secured to the bottom wall 40. A rotating clamping member 46is joumaled on a shaft 48, the shaft being supported at its ends by thebracket 44 in substantially parallel alignment with box frame wall 42.Suitable spring means, such as a coil spring 50, is wrapped around theshaft and connected in engagement with the bracket 44 at one end and theclamping member 46 at the other end. With reference to FIG. 3, the coilspring 50 resiliently biases the clamping member 46 clockwise tomaintain it rotated into the strap clamping position there shown.

The clamping member 46 is provided with longitudinal extendingserrations or ridges 52 which engage the inserted strap 22, clamping itagainst the bottom portion of the bracket 44. The ridges 52 are formedto define a partially serrated surface which increases in radial sizefrom the point 49 to a diametrically opposite point 51. Consequently,with reference to FIG. 3, rotation of the clamping member 46 in aclockwise sense due to the tension of the spring 50 or withdrawaltension on the strap 22, causes an increased clamping pressure againstthe strap 22.

The clamping member 46 is provided with an integral handle 54 which,when lifted upwardly, rotates the clamping member 46 in a directionagainst the action of the spring 50, moving the ridges 52 out of contactwith the strap 22. This releases the strap 22 permitting it to bewithdrawn through the opening 43 in the back wall 42.

One of the advantages of the present invention is that the straps 22 and24 can be released from the clamping units 26 and 28 easily and quicklyfrom either side of the bed. To this end, each unit has a bracket 60projecting out from the side wall 38 on which is mounted a bearing 62for receiving the end of a shaft 64. The shaft 64 spans the spacebetween the two buckle units beneath the bed and is rotatably supportedin the bearings 62 at either end.

Each buckle unit includes a release lever 66 which is securely clampedto the shaft 64 for rotation therewith. A link 68 connects the outer endof the lever 66 by a ball and socket joint 70 to a bracket 72 that isbolted or otherwise secured to the handle 54. The length of link 68 canbe adjusted by nuts 74 on a threaded end 76 of the link 68.

A quick-release handle 80 associated with each buckle unit is securelyattached to each end of the shaft 64 for rotating the shaft. The handle80 is formed of double curves 81 and 83 which are in opposite directionsto define a detent 82 for engaging a lip 84 on the bottom of the frame30. Upon movement of the handle 80 to the left, as viewed in FIG. 2, thefixed lip 84 slides across the upwardly curved surface 81 into thedownwardly curved surface 83, thereby the detent 82 engages the lip 84to lock the handle 80 against the frame 30. In this locked position, theclamping element 46 is held in a strap release position in which thestraps 22 and 24 may be easily withdrawn from the buckle units. Upondisengaging the handle detent 82 from the frame lip 84, the handlereturns to the strap clamping position shown in FIG. 2.

It is noted with the strap portions 22 and 24 clamped, as shown in FIG.2, so as to be held against pull exerted on the straps by a patient,that the straps can still be easily tightened by an attendant merely bypulling the ends of the straps. There is no need to move the handle 80into the strap release position in order to tighten the straps due tothe eccentric shape of the clamping member 46. By mounting a handle 80at both buckle units, both units can be released together from eitherside of the bed due to the linking shaft 64.

In addition, the bracket 72 may be provided with a portion 73 thatprojects beyond the wall 36 to form a handle. By lifting this handle,one of the buckles can be released without releasing the other bucklesince the link is designed to have lost motion between the nuts 74 andthe washers 75 to isolate the movement of the clamping member 46 fromthe rod 64. This effective decoupling of the clamping member from therod 64 occurs due to the pivotal connection of the bracket 72 to thelink 68 by the socket joint and the downward slant of the lever 66. As aresult, upward movement of the link 68 is translated into a flatteningmovement of the washers against the nuts 74 instead of a position changeof the lever 66.

Referring to FIG. 6, the aforedescribed harness 20 and buckle units 26and 28 are shown employed to strap a person in a wheel chair 90. Thebuckle units are appropriately secured on the back of the wheel chair90. Thus, it is apparent that the improved harnessbuckling arrangementdescribed herein can be used on beds, wheel chairs and in otherequivalent applications.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what isconsidered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it isrecognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of theinvention.

What is claimed is:

l. A harness device for holding a patient in a hospital bed comprising:harness means adapted to securely engage a patients body, said harnessmeans including a pair of elongated strap portions, a pair of releasablebuckle means for securing one of the strap portions adjacent one side ofthe bed and for securing the other of said strap portions adjacent theother side of the bed, means for securing one of said buckle meansadjacent said one side of the bed and for securing the other of saidbuckle means adjacent said other side of the bed, and quick releasemeans connected to both buckle means for simultaneously releasing bothstrap portions to release the harness from the bed.

2. The device of claim I wherein the quick release means includes anactuating member connected to both buckle means and means for actuatingthe actuating member from either side of the bed.

3. Apparatus of claim 2 wherein means for actuating the actuating memberare manually operated levers extending from each bed side, and includingmeans for holding each lever selectively in a strap clamping position ora strap releasing position.

4. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein the harness means includes a garmentopen on one side and having an opening fitting over the patients headand an opening for receiving one arm, the strap portions extending fromoverlapping extensions on the open side of the garment, one of theoverlapping extensions extending from the front and one from the back ofthe garment, the strap portion of the back extension extending outthrough a slit in the front of the garment.

5. The invention according to claim 1, in which: said buckle means aresecured below the bed, said quick release means includes an actuatingmember extending the width of the bed below the bed connected to bothbuckle means, and means for actuating the actuating member from eitherside of the bed.

6. Harness strap locking apparatus for releasably clamping strapsextending from a body harness and being for mounting on a supportingstructure, such as the frame ofa bed, wheel chair, or the like out ofreach of a wearer of the harness, comprising: first and second strapclamping units adapted to be secured at laterally spaced apart points onsaid supporting structure frame for receiving the harness straps whenextending in opposite directions, each unit including a frame member forsecuring to said supporting structure frame, a strap clamping platemounted on the frame member, a locking member rotatably supported fromthe frame member and having a strap engaging surface movable into andout of strap clamping position with said plate by rotation of thelocking member, spring means urging the locking member into strapclamping position, and quick release means linking both units forsimultaneously rotating said locking members against the action of thespring means into a strap release position.

7. Apparatus of claim 6 wherein said quick release means includes amanually positionable control handle on at least one of said units foractuating the quick release means, and detent means for holding thelever in either a strap clamping position or a strap releasing position.

8. Apparatus of claim 6 further including means for moving the lockingmember of one unit to release the strap without actuating the secondunit.

9. A harness device for holding a patient in a supporting structurecomprising: harness means adapted to securely engage a patients body,said harness means including a pair of elongated strap portions, saidsupporting structure having two sides, a pair of releasable buckle meansfor securing one of the strap portions adjacent one of said sides andfor securing the other of said strap portions adjacent the other of saidsides, means for securing one of said buckle means adjacent one of saidsides and for securing the other of said buckle means adjacent the otherof said sides, and

quick release means connected to both buckle means for simultaneouslyreleasing both strap portions to release the harness from the supportingstructure.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein the quick release means includes anactuating member extending between both buckle means and means foractuating the actuating member from either of said sides.

11. Apparatus of claim 10 wherein means for actuating the actuatingmember are manually operated levers extending from each of said sides,and including means for holding each lever selectively in a strapclamping position or a strap releasing position.

12. A body harness for fitting over the torso of a person comprising avest-like garment having a continuous front and back panel, said panelsbeing shaped and joined at their tops to define a pair of shoulders witha head hole therebetween and dimensioned to have their bottom edgespositioned approximately at the waist of a wearer, said panels beingshaped and joined along one vertical side to form a closed side with anarm hole therein, said panels being open and shaped along their othervertical side edges to define from a point adjacent a wearer's arm tothe bottom edges of said panels downwardly sloping overlappingtriangularly shaped extensions which when overlapped cross beneath awearers armpit, a strap portion secured to said garment to extendlaterally from each of said triangular extensions and a substantiallyvertically extending slit defined substantially centrally adjacent thelower edge of said front panel for receiving said strap portion extend'ing from the triangularly shaped extension of said back panel whereby awearer may be tightly secured in said harness by inserting said strapportion extending from said back panel through said slit in thedirection from inside to outside and then pulling said straps in theopposite directions they extend.

13. The invention defined in claim 12, wherein said strap portions arethe end portions of a single strap secured around the bottom edge ofsaid garment.

l4. The invention in claim 9, in combination with a pair of laterallyspaced apart clamping means, means for securing said clamping means to aframe structure to which a wearer of said harness is to be strapped,each clamping means being operable to releasably hold the one of saidstrap portions inserted therein.

15. The invention defined in claim 14, including means forsimultaneously actuating said clamping means to release said strapportions held therein.

16. The invention defined in claim 14, wherein each of said clampingmeans includes an off-center curved clamping member biased by springmeans in a strap clamping position.

1. A harness device for holding a patient in a hospital bed comprising:harness means adapted to securely engage a patient''s body, said harnessmeans including a pair of elongated strap portions, a pair of releasablebuckle means for securing one of the strap portions adjacent one side ofthe bed and for securing the other of said strap portions adjacent theother side of the bed, means for securing one of said buckle meansadjacent said one side of the bed and for securing the other of saidbuckle means adjacent said other side of the bed, and quick releasemeans connected to both buckle means for simultaneously releasing bothstrap portions to release the harness from the bed.
 2. The device ofclaim 1 wherein the quick release means includes an actuating memberconnected to both buckle means and means for actuating the actuatingmember from either side of the bed.
 3. Apparatus of claim 2 whereinmeans for actuating the actuating member are manually operated leversextending from each bed side, and including means for holding each leverselectively in a strap clamping position or a strap releasing position.4. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein the harness means includes a garmentopen on one side and having an opening fitting over the patient''s headand an opening for receiving one arm, the strap portions extending fromoverlapping extensions on the open side of the garment, one of theoverlapping extensions extending from the front and one from the back ofthe garment, the strap portion of the back extension extending outthrough a slit in the front of the garment.
 5. The invention accordingto claim 1, in which: said buckle means are secured below the bed, saidquick release means includes an actuating member extending the width ofthe bed below the bed connected to both buckle means, and means foractuating the actuating member from either side of the bed.
 6. Harnessstrap locking apparatus for releasably clamping straps extending from abody harness and being for mounting on a supporting structure, such asthe frame of a bed, wheel chair, or the like out of reach of a wearer ofthe harness, comprising: first and second strap clamping units adaptedto be secured at laterally spaced apart points on said supportingstructure frame for receiving the harness straps when extending inopposite directions, each unit including a frame member for securing tosaid supporting structure frame, a strap clamping plate mounted on theframe member, a locking member rotatably supported from the frame meMberand having a strap engaging surface movable into and out of strapclamping position with said plate by rotation of the locking member,spring means urging the locking member into strap clamping position, andquick release means linking both units for simultaneously rotating saidlocking members against the action of the spring means into a straprelease position.
 7. Apparatus of claim 6 wherein said quick releasemeans includes a manually positionable control handle on at least one ofsaid units for actuating the quick release means, and detent means forholding the lever in either a strap clamping position or a strapreleasing position.
 8. Apparatus of claim 6 further including means formoving the locking member of one unit to release the strap withoutactuating the second unit.
 9. A harness device for holding a patient ina supporting structure comprising: harness means adapted to securelyengage a patient''s body, said harness means including a pair ofelongated strap portions, said supporting structure having two sides, apair of releasable buckle means for securing one of the strap portionsadjacent one of said sides and for securing the other of said strapportions adjacent the other of said sides, means for securing one ofsaid buckle means adjacent one of said sides and for securing the otherof said buckle means adjacent the other of said sides, and quick releasemeans connected to both buckle means for simultaneously releasing bothstrap portions to release the harness from the supporting structure. 10.The device of claim 9 wherein the quick release means includes anactuating member extending between both buckle means and means foractuating the actuating member from either of said sides.
 11. Apparatusof claim 10 wherein means for actuating the actuating member aremanually operated levers extending from each of said sides, andincluding means for holding each lever selectively in a strap clampingposition or a strap releasing position.
 12. A body harness for fittingover the torso of a person comprising a vest-like garment having acontinuous front and back panel, said panels being shaped and joined attheir tops to define a pair of shoulders with a head hole therebetweenand dimensioned to have their bottom edges positioned approximately atthe waist of a wearer, said panels being shaped and joined along onevertical side to form a closed side with an arm hole therein, saidpanels being open and shaped along their other vertical side edges todefine from a point adjacent a wearer''s arm to the bottom edges of saidpanels downwardly sloping overlapping triangularly shaped extensionswhich when overlapped cross beneath a wearer''s armpit, a strap portionsecured to said garment to extend laterally from each of said triangularextensions and a substantially vertically extending slit definedsubstantially centrally adjacent the lower edge of said front panel forreceiving said strap portion extending from the triangularly shapedextension of said back panel whereby a wearer may be tightly secured insaid harness by inserting said strap portion extending from said backpanel through said slit in the direction from inside to outside and thenpulling said straps in the opposite directions they extend.
 13. Theinvention defined in claim 12, wherein said strap portions are the endportions of a single strap secured around the bottom edge of saidgarment.
 14. The invention in claim 9, in combination with a pair oflaterally spaced apart clamping means, means for securing said clampingmeans to a frame structure to which a wearer of said harness is to bestrapped, each clamping means being operable to releasably hold the oneof said strap portions inserted therein.
 15. The invention defined inclaim 14, including means for simultaneously actuating said clampingmeans to release said strap portions held therein.
 16. The inventiondefined in claim 14, wherein each of said clamping means includes anoff-center curvEd clamping member biased by spring means in a strapclamping position.